


background checks

by tauri



Category: Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: F/F, Team Flare scientists, everybody in team flare is super gay, lowkey midnightflareshipping, team flare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 14:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8106130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tauri/pseuds/tauri
Summary: Malva feels that Team Flare is missing something, and so searches out the best scientific minds she can bring together.





	

**Author's Note:**

> BIRTHDAY FIC FOR SANURA AAAAA HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANURA IM HOPE YOU LIKE??? HURRAH TEAM FLARE SCIENTISTS ☆

"... You really need to do something about Xerosic."

"Oh?" Lysandre looked up from his laptop. "Has his recent work been unsatisfactory?"

Malva glanced to the side, masking her feelings with a short-tempered sigh. It wasn't that Xerosic's work standard was low, or that it had dropped - far from it. There was nothing wrong with his work and everything wrong with that claustrophobic atmosphere every time Malva had to drop by the laboratory for the latest reports. She shifted her gaze back towards Lysandre, who was looking at her with an open, curious expression. It was a selfish comment, really, and Malva knew it. She'd spent enough time in television studios to know how best to deal with egotistical personality conflicts - and it was exactly that feeling that took her to Lysandre's office with an envelope of profiles in the first place. A simple clash of personalities (that Xerosic probably wasn't even aware of) was maybe too indulgent a thing to take to the head of the organisation, but Malva didn't care. Dealing with that kind of thing so often in her day job, it struck her that maybe it didn't hurt to take things by the reins otherwise. She pulled out the contents of the envelope, spreading the sheets of paper across the desk in front of Lysandre.

"I don't think it would be a bad thing to have a second opinion on some of his calculations. I took the liberty of researching some of the brightest stars in their respective scientific fields - even beyond Kalos, I'm sure their heads could easily be turned by an offer from the distinguished Lysandre Labs."

Lysandre nudged the papers apart, glancing them over; Hoenn, Sinnoh, even as far afield as Johto - Malva had certainly done her research. "... I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the purpose of our organisation, Malva. This isn't a project that we can open up to just anybody."

Malva smiled sweetly. "Of course I know that...! It's not impossible to connect our needs and their desires, you know. But you're backing this project because you believe in it, right? So I'm sure that they, too, can be persuaded." That smile deepened. "And I can be _very_ persuasive."

\----

The interviews took place at a hired office space in Lumiose City. Malva had come armed with exhaustive information on her first target - moreso, perhaps, than she herself was aware of. However, Malva's first rule of interview was to make the other person comfortable - _far better a position for them to offer sensitive information_. The woman had a tight expression, as if unsure about the situation; Malva countered that with her smile, holding open the door to the meeting room, pulling out the chair for her to be seated before indicating her to do so.

"So! What should I call you? It's fine to be informal. I don't want this to be too tense...! We're just getting to know one another."

"... Aliana."

"Okay. Hi, Aliana! I'm Malva." She reached her hand out, in greeting; Aliana took it, albeit somewhat hesitantly. "It's good to meet you."

"... Likewise."

Malva sat back in her seat, taking up the topmost sheet of paper from in front of her. "I understand you've been working in Hoenn for quite some time, now? Tell me about that."

On being given a focus, Aliana seemed to click into what was being asked of her. "My department has been largely occupied with study of Mt. Chimney - it has a lot of unique properties, and greatly affects the Pokemon habitats of the surrounding area... that isn't precisely my specialisation, but it is an area we've been looking into."

"There are... renegade groups within Hoenn, are there not? Team Aqua and Team Magma."

"I... believe so? I know groups like that have been causing trouble in a number of different regions." She gave a half-smile. "Kalos seems quite peaceful in comparison."

Malva clicked the top of her pen, gazing over her glasses at Aliana. "I only ask because I believe - or have been informed, at least - that some of those groups might have Mt. Chimney as a target. Rumour has it that Team Magma, specifically, is aiming towards returning it to an active state. ...What do you think about that?"

Aliana seemed somewhat taken aback. "Well, that would be--... it would be quite devastating if that were to happen, given the proximity of the volcano to nearby cities..."

"But that's what you get for living so close to a volcano, don't you think? Even without outside 'assistance', you still never know when it's going to _go_. Oh, but that's why they have researchers like you around, isn't it? To measure such things. Certainly, on a personal level for those living nearby, it would be a disaster. But, as a scientist, wouldn't that offer you a number of opportunities?"

"I, I--... I never really thought about it. I suppose so...? There are definitely a number of--... we've got a number of hypothesis, which by their nature, we don't have the means to test. Practical theorising is important, of course. ...And if that were to happen, I'm sure we'd be the last people they'd want on the scene." Aliana laughed gently, as if remembering something amusing. "I'm sure I'd be proved right on a couple of counts, though."

"That's the sign of a good scientific mind. How would we ever progress as a species without using science to learn of events beyond our control?" Another click of the pen. "Just a thought experiment, though. Naturally, we wouldn't _actually_ want Mt. Chimney to explode any time soon. I'm sure that would be quite inconvenient."

"... Right."

Malva looked up from her sheets of paper, netting her fingers and looking Aliana directly in the eye. "Just as a matter of office gossip... I've heard that your department is undergoing investigation for leaking vital information on that volcano to certain renegade groups." Another smile. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you...?"

\----

"Could you explain to me precisely what it is that Lysandre Labs produces?"

"I suppose we've been neglecting our brand; quite thoughtless of us. To put it in a very broad sense, we are dedicated to the development of new technology... which doesn't tell you much, I'm sure." Malva pulled her Holo Caster out from the desk, offering it across to her latest interviewee - Bryony, an analytical scientist hailing from the Sinnoh region. Bryony accepted the device, looking it over with idle curiosity.

"I wouldn't call it my area of expertise, but to come up with an end result product such as this is quite interesting." Tapping buttons on the device, Bryony summoned up a saved message - a region-wide circular regarding some manner of battle tournament. A smile drifted across her lips on watching it. "The all-blue look suits you."

"You flatter me. In any case, these devices are carried by most trainers across Kalos, and are beginning to be rolled out across the Hoenn region, also. That isn't to say that we're planning world domination or anything, but... creating life-changing technology, effective worldwide... we're certainly an up-and-coming company, but we're not some amateur start-up. We have a number of goals, and we're quite determined to stick to them."

"It's quite flattering, in turn, to be headhunted. This is what this is, right?"

"You could call it that. Oh, I was just wondering--... the contact information on the form I showed you, it was correct, wasn't it?"

"Oh, um... I don't think I saw any mistakes. I can look it over again for you, if you want?"

Malva busied herself with finding the right sheet of paper. "I was just looking at your email address... the username 'Dioica' doesn't mean anything to you, does it?"

The way in which Bryony froze on accepting the piece of paper said enough as needed to be, as did the silence that followed. Malva simply smiled; clearly, Bryony's mind was racing. "... N-no... no, it doesn't. Why, should it?" (Instead of replying, Malva nodded her head towards the paper now in Bryony's hands; rather than contact information, it seemed to be a printout of some logged form of online communication. Bryony's expression quickly soured, almost throwing the paper down before realising that that wouldn't get her anywhere.) "What--... what is this?! How did you find this?"

"We have our methods. Anyway, Bryony - or should I call you Dioica? This is some pretty revolutionary stuff. I say 'revolutionary', maybe I mean 'anarchic'. I'll take it as read that your company doesn't know about your little online double-life, hmm?"

"So rather than headhunting, this is... blackmail?"

"Oh, that's such an ugly word, though. No, I wouldn't call it blackmail. I'd only call it that if you planned to refuse our offer." _Smile_. "And our offer _is_ quite substantial."

\----

Originating from within Kalos, Malva was quite sure that the pair of scientists sat in front of her wouldn't need much persuasion; if nothing else, the freckled woman to her right seemed quite starstruck.

"I've seen you on television--! _And_ on the Holo Caster! It's so weird to see you in real life. Don't you think, Mable?"

The taller woman to her side seemed somewhat less impressed, her arms folded. "Calm down, Celosia." (She caught sight of the _expression_ Celosia was giving her.) "Yes, okay, it _is_ impressive, but..."

The two of them had seemed quite entertaining together, so Malva saw no harm in sitting back and allowing them to continue. Despite that, Mable seemed to want to try to bring the conversation back on-topic. "Yes...?"

"Look. We appreciate the offer--" Mable looked towards Celosia, for confirmation. "We appreciate the offer. But, coming towards us as _scientists_ , it's--... well..."

Malva shuffled the papers on her desk. "Nobody would approach you without knowing about the _incident_ , of course."

"... Right. I'd be surprised if you didn't. I just don't know why you're talking to us, that's all."

The _incident_ had occurred several months prior to the meeting, in which the particular laboratory that Mable and Celosia had worked under had come under accusation for an explosives incident that had taken place within the city. Officially, it had been deemed an accident. Behind closed doors, Mable and Celosia had been stripped of their titles and removed from the premises.

"That stunt of yours certainly attracted some attention. It must have taken a lot of work, after all, to smuggle those materials out of the laboratory, to set them up in secret, to follow through with your plan... quite impressive."

"Well... thank you, though _they_ didn't seem to think so..."

"It's their fault if they can't recognise forward-thinking independence when they see it. Of course, we would require some level of transparency in your operations - we'll let you blow up whatever you want, so long as it goes through the proper channels first. As long as it's scientifically _required_ , of course." Malva gave a conspiratorial wink.

\----

The hiring of new staff meant piles of paperwork, but Malva didn't mind; she could take _that_ home with her, because new staff members meant new _uniforms_ , and having the new group of Team Flare scientists fitted and outfitted had proved quite a rewarding sight. Between skirts, boots, and shoulderpads, each one of the women had been able to customise the Team Flare style to compliment their looks in unique ways. Ties to match their hair, visors to match their eyes - Lysandre hadn't given such duties a moment's thought before passing them all towards Malva, who hadn't minded in the slightest. After all, _this_ was the point, wasn't it? Were this any other situation, Malva was sure that this would count as abusing her position as a high-up within Team Flare's organisational ranks. Luckily, this wasn't any other situation, so Malva was able to sit back and tick off uniform order boxes while watching Aliana open up to the others, Bryony regard them with catty suspicion, Celosia tugging on Mable's tie as she brought her taller girlfriend down for a kiss-- _how brazen_. _How delightful_. (Mable pulled back with some embarrassment, looking over towards Malva's presence in the room - but only received a smirk and a thumbs-up in response.)

The other upside of the installation of new scientists came a week or so later, in the form of an email from Xerosic in Malva's inbox.

" _Malva. There seem to be a number of young women taking over my department. Is this intended? Has this been approved?_ "

" _Best scientific minds from here to Sinnoh, Xerosic. I approved them myself._ "

" _Our work here is very fragile! Need I remind you that this is to be carried out with the utmost secrecy. We could be years from fruition, and we can't take any risks. I'm going to assume that you know what you're doing - Lysandre certainly seems to trust you._ "

(Malva didn't reply.)

" _These girls are very noisy. It can be quite distracting._ "

(The response made her laugh, but she still didn't reply.)

" _Malva, I have young women canoodling with one another all over my research. This is unacceptable. Please contact me with your intended course of action._ "

" _You don't find that... exciting?_ "

" _No? Why would I? I'll fund a separate research space for them myself if required, just _do_something_about_them__ "

" _Good! That's the correct answer. If it had been anything else, I'd have kicked you out of the organisation myself._ "

To make up for that, Malva put in permission for additional research space for the Team Flare scientists - if this went on for much longer then perhaps he'd be moved to complain to Lysandre, and it really wasn't an issue that Malva wanted to bother him with. Just Xerosic, and just for a _little_ while. Just for fun.


End file.
